Henry Homes Ltd has applied for outline permission to build a maximum of 90 two-bedroom and 60 one-bedroom homes on land at Claygate Station and Station Garage.

There would be 130 underground parking spaces.

The station car park would be reduced from 150 spaces to 120 to accommodate the scheme. A new public car park would be created at the Station Garage site, with a minimum of 30 spaces.

The developers want to put a roundabout on Hare Lane to direct traffic on to Station Way and extend the road so that it links with The Parade. Cars will exit here as part of a one-way system.

Emma Curtis, who moved to the village a year ago with her family, said the development would change the character of the village.

“The main concern for me is the sheer size of it all,” she said. “It would be completely out of keeping with the character of the area.

“It seems that the developers haven’t taken into account the feelings of residents. If it goes ahead, Claygate will not feel like a village anymore. It would lose all its atmosphere.

“We will not be able to cope with the increase in traffic and there would much more noise and pollution. Claygate will become a mini-Surbiton.

“We did not move here to live with this sort of development. It would have a huge impact and take away all the elements of Claygate that we fell in love with. Everyone on Hare Lane feels the same. I cannot see any way that the development would seem agreeable to me.”

After a protracted planning process, Elmbridge Council granted permission for 19 homes to be built at Station Garage in August 2004.

Those plans have been put on hold while this application is being considered.

A public exhibition detailing the plans was held on September 13, which residents claim they knew nothing about.

“We were happy with the original plans for the site,” Mrs Curtis said. “We wanted to see some sort of development there but 150 homes is ridiculous.

“I am very concerned that the developers want to put a public car park at the bottom of our garden. I was happy for it to be used for residential parking but if this goes ahead people will be using it at all times of the day and night. This is not how we want to live.”

John Dunne told the News & Mail that the plans had caused serious concern in the community.

“Claygate is a super place to live but this application is an unreasonable threat to the village,” he said. “Hare Lane is already extremely busy. Adding a minimum of another 150 cars to it will just exacerbate the problem.

“Something should be done at Station Garage but we thought it had already been done when permission was granted last year. That seemed reasonable but this application is not.”

Wayne Gold of Henry Homes Ltd insisted that the plans are not finalised.

“There is tremendous planning gain by improving the station car park, the station itself and The Parade,” he said. “The Parade is heavily congested and it’s a nightmare. If you make it more pedestrianised and a one way system then it makes it safer and more enjoyable for everyone.

“There will be a dedicated car park for the station and for the shops and to do all that we need to have some flats.

“There is no doubt that it will be beneficial for the community. There will be huge improvements, such as more car parking, better parking, improved roads and CCTV as well.

“We understand residents’ concerns and we will be consulting with them to make sure we come up with something that is beneficial for everyone.”

A public meeting to discuss the proposals has been organised for Monday at 8.15pm in the village hall.